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06 December 2006

Guest Blogger: David Lewis Bradley on Jack Kingston

David Lewis Bradley is a carpenter, surveyor, and an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Army. The following is his response to the comments Rep. Jack Kingston (R - Georgia) made about having to work five days a week in Congress. Here's the article that referenced in this piece "Culture Shock on Capitol Hill: House to Work 5 Days a Week" (The Washington Post). If you want to be a guest blogger on Georgia Unfiltered, send me an email, andre@georgiaunfiltered.com, and I'll post it on the front page as soon as I get it.

Ah, to be a Congressman in this last Congress! Come into work late Tuesday, leave Thursday at lunch... a day and a half spent rubber-stamping whatever the White House sends your way certainly justifies an annual salary of $165,000! Rep. Jack Kingston thinks so, anyway.

At the first mention of a five-day work week, he starts whining and attacking Democrats:

"Keeping us up here eats away at families," said Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), who typically flies home on Thursdays and returns to Washington on Tuesdays. "Marriages suffer. The Democrats could care less about families -- that's what this says."

Well, I have my own opinion about Representative Kingston's whiny attack.

Sir,

Your whining about a real work week separating families makes me laugh, it makes me puke, and it makes me mad as hell.

To keep my family fed, I've worked out of town for weeks at a time, and those were not days spent having lunch with lobbyists, you may count on that. Those days started at seven and ended at sundown, and I have NEVER made more than $36,000 in a year. For your salary, sir, I don't think five days sitting down in the air-conditioning is too much to ask. If it's too much work for you, please let someone else have your job.

Secondly, you people have been telling me for years that your Global War on Terror is the moral equivalent of World War 2, and you've taken every opportunity to liken September 11th to Pearl Harbor. Well buddy, let me remind you that when the bomber plants needed to run 24-7, ordinary Americans stepped up to do the job. Would you whine about being assigned the graveyard shift? My uncles would be happy to tell you what a strain World War 2 was on families.

I understand wanting to spend time with your family. I have spent years wanting to spend time with mine without actually getting to do so, so that I could get a job done. As a surveyor, I left home at 5 a.m. on Monday to survey swamps and returned sometime after dark on Friday. Yes, I understand wanting to be with ones family. I also understand if you feel it important to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. But sir, this country's ox is in a hole, a serious hole. If you have to work seven days a week to get it out, it's okay with me, and it's okay with Jesus, too.

You disgust me and all honest working folk. You pretend you care about the values that made America great. So far all you've shown is concern for yourself and a willingness to attack Democrats. THE COUNTRY IS BROKEN BECAUSE OF LAWMAKERS LIKE YOU! QUIT WHINING AND GO TO WORK LIKE THE REST OF US, YOU LAZY SACK!!!